Students discover better building methods

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The wolf huffed and puffed, and couldn’t blow the straw house down? That’s not quite how the story goes. But this weekend, students at Cape Fear Community College proved that straw bale construction is a smart, sustainable building method.

Students investigated alternative building strategies that are better for the environment and energy efficient. They say straw bale houses meet that criteria and work well with Wilmington’s climate.

“Our main goal was to build this structure to show people that for around the same cost of a traditionally built home, you can build a house with double to R-value using a waste product…straw,” said graduate student Elliott Smith.

The staw-bale and adobe structure has great fire resistant properties and moisture control qualities. It’s thick walls even act as great sound barriers.